Parents and students have become obsessed by the rapid-fire growth in tuition demanded by the nation’s colleges and universities. And, it’s easy to see why. Over the last 30 years, tuitions and fees have risen twelve-fold. But the steady march of higher college costs has obscured a fact that students and their parents should be focused on: A not insignificant proportion of the nation’s 4,500 degree granting institutions are financially stressed.

One of the dirty little secrets of paying for college is that the price tag is negotiable. Although financial aid officers don’t like to admit it, negotiating prices has become commonplace. And, that’s good news because today’s price tags at $18,943 for in-state public schools, $32,762 out-of-state schools and $42,419 for private schools are simply unaffordable.